of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the “They have healed also the hurt of the daugh- beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his tem ter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; ple."-Psalm xxvii. 4.

whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things “Let no man deceive you with vain words ; are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever for because of these things cometh the wrath of things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good God upon the children of disobedience."--Eph. report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any v. 6.

to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do "If I have made gold my hope, or have said even the same.' Luke vi. 33.

to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; If I Disc. IV.--The Guilt of Dishonesty not to be esti rejoiced because my wealth was great, and be- mated by the Gain of it.

249 cause mine hand had gotten much; If I beheld “He that is faithful in that which is least, is the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the brightness; and my heart hath been secretly en-

least, is unjust also in much."- Luke xvi. 10. ticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand, this Disc. V.-On the great Christian Law of Recipro also were an iniquity to be punished by the city between Man and Man.

257 judge; for I should have denied the God that is “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would above."--Job xxxi, 24-28. that men should do to you, do ye even so to

SERM. IX.- On the Reasonableness of Faith. 423 him: but whosoever speakech against the Holy

* But before faith came, we were kept under Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this the law, shut up unto the faith which should world, neither in the world to come." -Matth. afterwards be revealed."-Gal. üi. 23.

xii. 31, 32. SERM. X. On the Christian Sabbath.

429 SERM. XIII.--On the Advantages of Christian "And he said unto them, The Sabbath was Knowledge to the Lower Orders of Society. 450 made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."-

The contents of the first part of this volume form the substance of the article CHRISTIANITY, in the EDINBURGH ENCYCLOPÆDIA. Its appearance is due to the liberality of the Proprietors of that Work-nor did the Author conceive the purpose of presenting it to the world in another shape, till he was permitted and advised by them to republish it in a separate form. It is chiefly confined to the exposition of the historical argument for the truth of Christianity; and the aim of the Author is fulfilled if he has succeeded in proving the external testimony to be so sufficient, as to leave Infidelity without excuse, even though the remaining important branches of the Christian defence had been less strong and satisfactory than they are. " The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.” “And if I had not done the works among them which none other man did, they had not had sin."

The Author is far from asserting the study of the historical evidence to be the only channel to a faith in the truth of Christianity. How could he, in the face of the obvious fact, that there are thousands and thousands of Christians, who bear the most undeniable marks of the truth having come home to their understanding “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power ?” They have an evidence within themselves, which the world knoweth not, even the promised manifestations of the Saviour. This evidence is a "sign to them that believe;" but the Bible speaks also of a "sign to them which believe not;" and should it be effectual in reclaiming any of these from their infidelity, a mighty object is gained by the exhibition of it. Should it not be effectual, it will be to them" a savour of death unto death ;' and this is one of the very effects ascribed to the proclamation of Christian truth in the first ages. If, even in the face of that kind of evidence, which they have a relish and respect for, they still hold out against the reception of the Gospel, this must aggravate the weight of the threatening which lies upon them; “How shall they escape, if they neglect so great a salvation ?"

It will be a great satisfaction to the writer of the following pages, if any shall rise from the perusal of them with a stronger determination than before to take his Christianity exclusively from his Bible. It is not enough to entitle a man to the name of a Christian, that he professes to believe the Bible to be a genuine communication from God. To be the disciple of any book, he must do something more than satisfy himself that its contents are true he must read the book-he must obtain a knowledge of the contents. And how many are there in the world, who do not call the truth of the Bible message in question, while they suffer it to lie beside them unopened, unread, and unattended to !